Combination tie plate and rail joint



I. YOUNG COMBINATION TIE PLATE AND RAIL JOINT April 13, 1948.

Filed Oct; a, 1945 In uentar Irvz'zz Yo wag,

ing at opposite ends Patented Apr. 13, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATIONTIE PLATE AND RAIL JOINT Irvin Young, Falmouth, Ky. Application October 8, 1945, Serial No. 620,938

2 Claims. (Cl. 238-188) This invention relates to a combination tie plate and rail joint and has for its primary object to distribute the load imposed upon a rail joint over a group of ties..

Another objectis to facilitate the proper align ing or a pair of the butting railroad rails for clamping engagement by the rail clamps of the rail joint.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies a bridging plate adapted to embrace at least three ties, said bridging plate having a transversely extended depression intermediate its ends and overhanging flanges at opposite ends of the depressions, spaced parallel ribs adjacent opposite ends between which the rail flanges are adapted to be received for proper alignment within the rail joint, and rail clamps slidable transversely oi the depression and havingflanges at opposite ends for engagement beneath the overhanging flanges for the purpose of improving the stability of the rail Joint.

Other features include rail flange embracing members carried by the rail clamps and vertically extending rail web engaging members between which opposite ends of abutting rails are clamped.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is aperspective view of a rail joint and tie plate embodying the features of this invention, showing a group of railway ties and the abutting ends of a railway rail in place.

Figure 2 is a perspective view'of the bridging plate. I

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the rail clamps, and

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view through the assembled device illustrated in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail a railroad road bed designated generally Ill includes ties I I and rails I2. At the junction of abutting rails throughout the entire length of theroad bed I I provide my improved combination tie .plate and rail joint, designated generally I3, which comprises a bridging or bed plate I 4, carrydepending flanges I5, which are adapted to overhang and engage the outer opposite faces of the endmost, ties II. As illustrated, I prefer to have the bridging, or bed plate II, of a length sufficient to cover at least three of the cross ties II, so that the weight of the Joint will be well distributed and its stability improved. Formed intermediate the ends cf the bridging or bed plate, M, is a depression I6 opposite ends of which are provided with overhanging flanges H for a purpose to be more fully 2 hereinafter described, and formed at space intervals in the bed plate are pairs of spaced apertures I8 through which suitable fastening screws I9 are adapted to enter to be driven into the cross ties II, as illustrated in Figure 1. Formed on the upper side of the bed, or bridging plate II adjacent opposite ends are spaced longitudinally extending parallel ribs and the distance between these ribs is sufflcient to accommodate the flanges of the rails I2 previously referred to.

ing recess and rising upwardly from the inner most edge of the thickened portion 24 isv a rail 6 web engaging and supporting member 26. This rail web engaging flange 26 is formed with pairs of spaced apertures 21 which are adapted to register with similar apertures formed adjacent the abutting ends of the rails I2 to receive suitable clamping bolts 28.

In use, it will be understood that the bridging plate I3 is positioned on the ties as illustrated in Figure 1 and secured into place by the introduction of the screws I9 through the openings I8 adjacent opposite ends of the plate. The rails are then placed into position on the bridging or bed plate with their abutting ends meeting substantially midway of the depression I6 whereupon the rail clamps-2| are placed in position against the rails I2 by entering the flanges 23 beneath the flanges I I and sliding the clamps toward one another in the recess I6. As the clamps approach one another, the flanges 26 will move into engagement with the webs of the rails I2 with the openings 21 aligning with the openings formed adjacent the ends of the rails. The bolts 26 may then be introduced and upon drawing the bolts tight the walls of the recesses 25 will embrace the rail flanges as shown in Figure 4, to provide a firm seat beneath the bottom of the rails. Having drawn the clamps 2| into proper place they are locked therein by entering screws I9 through openings 29 formed in the horizontally extending portions of the plates 22 and passing these bolts downwardly through the openings I8 formed in the portionof the bed or bridging plate I4 which is of reduced thickness and thence into the cross tie, which extends transversely of the device. midway of its length. By drawing all of the screws l 9 tightly into place and drawing up the .bolts 29 it is obvious that a substantially unitary structure will be formed about the abutting ends of the rails which will effectively secure the rail Joint against separation by vibration and wear. The flanges 20 serve as guides in placing the rails in proper abutting position on the bridging. or bed plate It and furthermore tend to aid in producinga solid joint.

WhatIclaim is:

1. In a combination tie plate and rail joint, a bridging plate adapted to extend over at least three ties, a depending flange at each end of the bridging plate adapted to overhang the sides of ties supporting opposite ends of the bridging plate, spaced parallel rail engaging ribs extending longitudinally of the bridging plate adjacent each end thereof, a pair of oppositely movable rail clamps, slidably mounted on the bridging plate, each rail clamp comprising a vertically extending rail web engaging portion, a horizontally extending rail flange embracing portion, a laterally extending stabilizing and anchoring flange projecting outwardly from the rail flange embracing portion, said bridging plate having longitudinally spaced pairs of openings along each side edge, each rail clamp having a pair of openings which are adapted to align with certain bridging plate adapted to extend over at least' three ties, a depending flange at each end of the bridging plate adapted to overhang the sides of ties supporting opposite ends of the bridging plate, said bridging plate having a transversely extending depression midway 01' its length, overan ng flanges at opposite ends or the depression, rail clamps slldable transversely in the depression, flanges at opposite ends of the rail clamps for engagement beneath the overhanging flanges, a rail flange embracing portion on each rail clamp, a rail web engaging portion on each rail clamp, spaced parallel rail positioning ribs on the upper face of the bridging plate adjacent opposite ends whereby the abutting ends or adjacent rails may be properiy aligned on the bridging plate for engagement by the rail clamps. said bridging plate having longitudinally spaced pairs of openings along each side edge, each rail clamp having a pair of openings which are adapted to align with certain of the openings in the bridging plate when the clamp plates are in rail clamping position, screws extending through the openings and securing the bridging plate to ties upon which it rests and the clamps against the rails and bolts extending through the clamps and the web of a railroad rail for securing the rails in place.

IRVIN YOUNG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Germany Nov. 11, 1935 

